Tobacco-measuring machine



G. J. F EASLER TOBACCO MEASURING MACHINE Filed June 23. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l y ATTORNEY o cpz', 1923.

1,469fi35 v G. J. FEASLER TOBACCO MEASURING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aannamg Edwin lug l [le 2 "ff f Patented Oct 2, 1923.

GEORGE J. FEASLER, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO weren'r's Au'roma'rrc TOBACCO PACKING MACHINE comAnY, or DURHAM, uoa'rn CAROLINA, A conroaA'rlon or WEST VIRGINIA.

'roBAcco-mEAsuRme momma.

terials, particularly those in granular form,

and its primary object is to provide a novel mechanism for measuring charges-of tobacco or similar materials preparatory to the packaging thereof whereby all the "charges will have the desired uniform weight. Further objects are, to provide a mechanism of "this character which is capable of operating rapidly and will not require much attention from the attendant, and which-is capable of feeding the tobacco or similar material to the measuring means in a manner which will avoid clogging and will insure the rapid making up of charges of the requisite uniform weight.

.To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification. v

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical section taken on the line 11 of Figure 2; and Figure 2 represents a vertical section taken on the line 22 .of Figure 1, these figures illustrating a (tobacco measuring mechanism constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a top plan View of the measuring means and the supply hopper and cooperative feeder;

an Figure 4 represents a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

1 Similar partsare designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

The present invention provides mechanism for making up a charge of tobacco or similar of' substantlally uniform weight, preparatory to the packaging or other handling or' disposition of the measured charges. The invention is particularly applicable to mathe, scope of the claims.

ranular, material which will be 1 Application filed June'23, 1922. Serial No. 570,342.

chines such as those employed for packaging granular smoking or similar tobacco in wrappers or other containers, the measuring mechanism being suitable for attachment to packaging machines of that class so that the measuring mechanism will operate jn unison or appropriate timed relation to the packaging mechanism and it will measure.

charges of the tobacco and will supply these measured charges at appropriate intervals to the packing machine. The preferred con?- struction of the measuring mechanism is shown in the accom anying drawingsand will be hereinafter escribed in detail, but it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise construction shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplated-and these will be included within In the present instance, 1 designates a frame which serves to support the measuring mechanism either on or adjacent to a. packaging mach ne or independently there 1 of. The measuring mechanism com rises a feeding hopper 2 which is prefera ly cir-' cular or substantially so and it is open at the top and provided with an outlet 3 inits bottom 'wall which outlet serves to supply the tobacco or-other material to the measuring device which is located preferably be low the feeding hopper. The measuring device comprises a measuring pocket 4 and a supply pocket 5 which is located above it and is arranged to receive the tobacco or material from the feeding hopper 2 through the outlet 3 thereof. Preferably the supply pocket 5 is formed in.-a housing 6 which is fixed at or to the under side of the feeding hopper 2 with the supply pocket 5 in alinement with the outlet 3 in the bottom of the hopper, and it is also preferable to taper or inbline the walls of thesupply pocket 5 so that they diverge downwardly, in order that this supply pocket will have a downwardly expanding cross section which will minimize frictionor clinging of the tobacco or material on. these walls, thereby enabling the tobacco or materialto -descend in this supply pocket substantially without 'resi ton the frame 1, gibs 9 being preferably fixed in the opposite sides of the slide 7 and working in grooves '10 in the side walls of the guides 8 to support the slide 7 in proper relation with the bottom of the housing 6. A plate 11 which extends across the bottom of the guides 8 beneath the supply pocket 5 servesto close the bottom of the measur ing pocket 4 when the latter is in position to receive a charge from the supply pocket 5, as shown in'Figures 2 and l; and the slide is formed with a blade or extension 12 at the top which operates to close the bottom of the supply pocket 5 when the slide is reciprocated to remove the measuring pocket from beneath the supply pocket. It is desirable'to so construct the measuring pocket 4 that its size may be adjusted to accurately measure charges of the desired weight. referably and as shown in the present instance, one wall 7 of the slide is adjustable relatively to the remainder of the slide and in a direction toward or from the opposed wall of the measuring pocket 4, and a screw 13 threaded in a part 14: fixed to the slide and provided with a hand wheel 15 serves as convenient means for setting the adjustable wall 7 to vary the size of the measuring pocket as may be required to secure accuracy in the weight of the measured charges. The walls of the measuring pocket are preferably inclined so that the cross section of this pocket is flared or enlarged toward its lower end, this minimizing friction of the tobacco or material on these walls and hence facilitatingthe dropping of the measured charge from the pocket, when the slide is moved into its discharging position. The measured charges may be received by a chute 16 which is supported in fixed position beyond the plate 11. In operation, the slide 7 reciprocates to bring the measuring pocket 4 beneath the supply. pocket 5 whereby a charge of tobacco will be received in the measuring pocket after which the slide shifts to a position which brings the measuring pocket above the discharge chute 16, the charge then dropping from the measuring pocket'into the discharge chute. In order to prevent accumulation of tobacco or other material on the bottom plate 11, especially when tobacco which is more or lessgummyis being handled, a felt strip 17 may be attached to one wall of the slide 7 and provided with a tube or pipe 18 through which the felt strip may be supplied with a moistening liquid, a mixture of rum and glycerinebeing suitable for this purpose. This moistening felt strip will sweep across the upper surface of the plate 11 at each reciprocation of the slide, thereby moistening this surface of the plate and preventing the tobacco from adhering thereto. Also in order to prevent the clogging rangers of the tobacco or other material between the upper side of the slide 7 and the bottom of the housing 6, a brush 19 may be mounted at one side of the housing 6 and in a position to sweep across the top of the slide when the latter is reciprocated, the adjustable wall '2' of the slide being preferably provided with a blade or extension 7 to furnish a surface on which the brush may bear.-

The material is fed to the measuring pocket from the feed hopper 2 and this feed hopper is provided with means which function to insure a proper supply of thematerial to the measuring pocket and also relieves the charge of material in the measuring pocket from the weight of the superimposed material in the feed hopper so that each charge of material for the measuring pocket is received from the supply pocket 5 without being influenced by the amount of material contained in the feeding hopper above it. The supply pocket 5 being of constant height the charges of material supplied to the measuring pocket will be of constant density and hence will be of uniform weight, notwithstanding variations that may occur in the'height of the material contained in the feeding hopper 2. Preferably and as shown, the feeding hopper 2 which is of circular form, has a flat bottom wall 20 over which a combined feeder and cut off device operates. In the present instance, the feeder comprises a substantially conical central portion 21, the sloping sides of which act to spread the material received by the feed hopper outwardly to facilitate the discharge of such material through the outlet 3 in the bottom of this hopper and the conical portion 21 is provided with a suitable number of the feeding and cut off devices, two of these devices being shown in the present instance which are located at diametrically opposite sides of the conical portion 21, each of these devices embodying an upstanding feeding rib 22 which projects to a suitable height above the bottom wall 20 to engage the material in the hopper 2 and sweep it around to enter the outlet 3, and the rib 22 is followed by a blade 23 which is substantially flat and trails the rib 22, the blade acting to cover the outlet 3 after the rib 22 has swept a supply of material into the outlet and has passed the outlet, this blade then covering the outlet 3"and relieving the maoutlet 3 each time the measuring pocket 4 I of the slide is in position to receive and measure a charge. Any suitable driving means may be provided for operating the feeding and cut off device and the slide in such timed relation. For example, as shown in the present instance, the slide 7 is reciprocated by a crank 24 which is connected to the slide by a pitman 25, the crank being fixed to a shaft 26, the latter being driven by a chain 27 from a suitable source of power through the mediumof a controlling clutch 28. The feeding and cut-ofi device is fixed to a shaft 29 which has a bearing in the bottom wall 20 of the feeding hopper and is driven by gears 30, one of which is fixed to a shaft 31, the latter being driven by a chain 32 which cooperates with sprocket wheels of appropriate sizes on the a shafts 26 and 31 respectively.

Any suitable means may be provided for supplying the tobacco or other material to the feeding hopper 2. Preferably and as shown in the present instance the tobacco or other material to be measured is received by a chute 33 which leads to a hopper 34, the bottom of which is cylindrical or substantially so and provided with a longitudinal outlet 35 which leads into a second hopper 36, the latter being substantially cylindrical and provided with a longitudinal outlet 37 which leads to a sleeve ortube 38 of flexible material such, for example, as fabric, this flexible sleeve or tube projecting down over the conical portion 21 of the feeding and cut off device and providing an outlet at its bottom from which the material may discharge into the feeding hopper 2. By setting thebottom of the sleeve or tube 38 at the appropriate height from the bottom of the feeding hopper 2, the flow of material into the feeding hopper may be controlled and overflow thereof prevented. The hoppers-34 and 36 preferably contain stirrers 39 and 40 which revolve-in the respective hoppers, preferably in reverse direction, and serve to break up any lumps that may form in the material, thisbeing likely to occur in handling tobacco especially when the tobacco is more or less gummy, the feeding and measuring of material being thereby facilitated. The rate of flow of the material to the feeding hopper 2 may also be regulated by a slide 41 which may be brought into position to re-- duce or enlarge the width of the outlet 37 from the hopper 37, a screw 42 being provided in the present instance for adjusting this slide. The lump breakers 39 and 40 may be driven by any suitable means, their shafts 43 and 44 being provided in the pres-.

ent instance with sprocket wheels 45, 46 over which a chain 47 passes, this chain being driven from a sprocket wheel 48 on the continuously revolving shaft 31 and ,tained only in the supply pocket 5.

the chain being arranged to reversely en gage the sprocket wheels 45 and 46, as shown in F igure-2, in order to cause the lump breakers to revolve in reverse directions.

The operation of a charge-measuring mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention as hereinbefore described, is as follows: The feeding and cut off device in the feeding hopper 2 and the lump breakers 39 and 40 are driven continuously while the tobacco or other material to be measured is fed through the chute 33, in consequenceof which a supply of the material will be maintained in the feeding hopper 2 and this material will be swept in .a circular path over the bottom 20 of this hopper by the ribs 22. The outlet 3 in the bottom of the hopper which is uncovered in advance of each passage of one of the ribs 22, will receive a sufiicient quantity of the tobacco or material to fill the supply hopper 5, at which time the blade or extension 12 of the slide will close the bottom of this supply pocket, and as the operation of the machine continues, the rib 22 will pass over the outlet ,3 and the trail-- ing blade 23 will assume a position above the outlet, thus cutting off the flow of material to the outlet and relieving the material in the outlet and in the pocket '5 from pressure of the superimposed tobacco or material contained in the hopper 2. As the blade 23 assumes a position above the outlet 3, the slide 7 moves. into a position to bring the measuringpocket 4 therein into pocket 4, thus filling the measuring pocket under the pressure of the material Cils the operationof the machine continues, the

slide 7 is shifted to carry themeasuring pocket-4 from beneath the supply pocket 5 and [to a position above the discharge chute 16, the measured charge of material then dropping from the measuring pocket into the dischargechute from which it may be received by any suitable mechanism for packaging or further handling the charge. While the slide 7 is in the latter described register with the supply pocket 5, in'con position, the blade or extension 12 thereon closes the bottom of the supply pocket 5 and as the blade 23 clears the outlet 3, an additional supply of material may be fed into the supply pocket 5 from he feed-' ing hopper 2. The cycle of opera ions just described is repeated each time a rib 22 and trailing blade 23 approaches, covers and unimposed material in the feeding hopper and to discharge the measured charge into the discharge chute,

By providing a covering blade in the feeding hopper which operates to cover the outlet thereof each time the measuring pocket in the slide is brought into register with the supply pocket to receive a supply of tobacco or material therefrom, measured charges of the tobacco or material are made up which will be of uniform weight, as the density of material in the measuring pocket will be constant, it being unaffected by the pressure of the superimposed tobacco or material in the feeding hopper and which may vary in height in this hopper due to variations in its rate of supply thereto. By providing means for adjusting the size of the measuring pocket it is possible to obtain charges which will closely conform with the particular weight desired.

1 claim as my invention 1. A measuring mechanism of the character described comprising a material. supply pocket, a measuring pocket movable to and from a position to receive a charge of material from the supply pocket, and means for feeding material to the supply pocket embodying a device for cutting 0d such feed while the measuring pocket is in a position to receive a charge of material.

2. A measuring mechanism of the character described comprising a material feeding hopper, a supply hopper beneath and arranged to receive material therefrom, a measuring pocket movable to and from a position to receive and measure a charge of material from the supply pocket, and means operative to cut 0d the feed of material to the supply pocket while the meass uring pocket is in a position to receive material therefrom.

3. A measuring mechanism for tobacco and similar granular material comprising a feeding hopper to receive material there from, a slide reciprocatory beneath the supplypocket and having a measuring pocket movable into and out of registration with the supply pocket, and means for cutting ed the flow of material from the feeding hopper to the supply pocket while the measuring pocket is in registration with the sup ply pocket. f

t. In measuring mechanism for tobacco and other granular material the combination of a feeding hop-per having an outlet for the material, a measuring member having a pocket movable into and out of communication with said outlet, and means op" erative to close said outlet while said. pocket is in communication therewith.

5. In measuring mechanism for tobacco and other granular material, the combination of a feeding hopper having an outlet for the material, a reciprocatory slide hav-- ing a measuring poclret movable into and incenseout of communication with said outlet, and a bladed member operative in the feeding hopper to cut ofi communication between the feeding hopper and its outlet while said measuring pocket is in communication therewith.

6. lln measuring mechanism for tobacco and other granular material, the combination of a feeding hopper having an outlet for the discharge of material therefrom, a measuring pocket movable to and from a position to receive material from said outlet, and a member operative in the feeding hopper to advance material therein to said outlet and to subsequently cut 0d communication between the feeding hopper and its outlet A 7. ln measuring mechanism for tobacco and other granular material, the combination of a feeding hopper having an outlet for the discharge of material therefrom, a measuring pocket movable to and from a position to receive material from said outlet,

and a member operative within the feeding trailing blade'to cover said outlet while the measuring pocket is in a position to receive material from said outlet.

,8. ln measuring means of the character described, the combination of a feeding hopper having an outlet for the discharge of material therefrom, a supply hopper located below said outlet to receive material therefrom, a slide reciprocable beneath the supply pocket and having a measuring pocket movable into and out of registration therewith, and means operative within the feeding hopper to advance material to its outlet to fill the supply pocket while the measuring pocket is out of registration with the supply pocket and also operative toclose said outlet while the measuring pocket is in registration with the supply pocket.

9. ln measuring means of the character described, the combination of a feeding hopper having an outlet for the discharge of material, a reciprocatory member having a measuring pocketmovable into and out of position to receive material from said outlet, a bladed member revoluble in the feeding hopper and operative to cover and uncover said outlet, and means for revolving said bladed member and actuating said reciprocatory member in such timed relation that said outlet is covered while the measuring pocket is in position to receive material from said outlet and said outlet is uncovered while the measuring pocket is out ,of said position.

16. The combination of a feeding hopper having a material outletdn its bottom and a member revoluble in the hopper and comment of the measuring pocket into a position to receive material from said outlet and aprising a central spreader and a bladed portion' projecting outwardly therefrom and having an upstanding rib for advancing material to said outlet and a trailing blade for covering said outlet.

11. In a mechanism for measuring charges of material, the combination of measuring means, a feeding hopper therefor, a chute to receive material and to direct'it to the feeding hopper for the measuring means, superposed hoppers in communication with one another and with said chute, the lower hopper having an outlet, and lump-breakers revoluble within the respective hoppers and 1 acting on the material passing therethrough.

12. The combination of a feeding hopper having a material discharge outlet in its bottom, a revoluble member operative in said hopper and comprising a central conical portion and an outwardly projecting portion'for advancing material in the hopper toward its outlet, and a material-supply tube extending downwardly over, and having a flexible edge surrounding the central conical portion of said member and providing a material supply passage between its lower end and the conical portion of said member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE J. FEASLER. Witnesses:

JAMES L. MONIELL, JAMES Q. MURPHY. 

